Elderberry Syrup

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Hippocrates, “the Father of Medicine” described the elderberry plant as a medicine chest because of its ability to alleviate a variety of ailments. With evidence of its cultivation dating back to prehistoric man, the elderberry is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. Throughout history, people have used elderberries to treat everything from cuts and burns to digestive complaints, and it is even used to ward off the flu. But what are the benefits of elderberries? Is it worth incorporating into your daily routine, or it is just another natural remedy not worth its weight?

Happy Tummy

Elderberries are high in antioxidants, which are very protective of the colon. Extracts of elderberry may reduce the amount of oxidative stress on the digestive tract and support the gut.

The high fiber in elderberries can alleviate constipation, reduce gas, and aid in waste elimination. Fiber also slows down digestion. This helps your body absorb nutrients more effectively, helping you get more nutrition from the food you eat.

Immune Boost

Elderberry concoctions are used widely for prevention and treatment of the flu. One study evaluated symptoms of people during an outbreak of the flu in Panama. Of those tested, 93% saw significant improvement within 2 days of starting an elderberry syrup regimen. Given that there are no medicines that can cure influenza A or B, the low cost, and the absence of side effects, the authors conclude that elderberry may be an effective treatment for influenza.

Elderberries are also high in flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that stimulate immune response. This is one reason why elderberries can help ward off viruses or colds.

If you are looking to boost immunity this season, a concoction made with elderberries may be a great option. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties can give your immune system an extra boost to handle seasonal pathogens.

Are you Ready to Try an Elderberry Syrup?

This simple elderberry syrup recipe made with dried elderberries, other immune boosting spices, and agave nectar creates an immune-boosting and delicious syrup.

I chose to use agave nectar to make the recipe vegan, but honey also has immune boosting properties. Feel free to substitute honey if you want. I also find most recipes out there cloyingly sweet, so you’ll see less sugar in this recipe than most of what you see out there.

Ingredients

2/3 cup dried black elderberries

2 tablespoons dried ginger root powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

½ teaspoon ground cloves 

½ cup organic agave nectar

3 cups filtered water

Instructions

  1. Combine  water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil.
  2. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for an hour, or until the liquid has reduced by almost half. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  3. Use a spoon or spatula to mash the berries.
  4. Pour the mixture through a mesh sieve. Discard elderberry mash.
  5. When completely cooled, add agave and stir well.
  6. Finally, pour the syrup into a mason jar. Stored tightly sealed, in the refrigerator, this syrup should keep up to 6 months. Shake well before each use.

How to Use

The standard daily dose to boost immunity is 1-2 teaspoons for children under 12 and 1-2 tablespoons for adults.

If illness strikes, it is best take the syrup at the first sign of infection. Take the daily dosage every 2-3 hours until symptoms resolve.

How do you keep your family healthy during flu season?

There are so many options out there, and certainly a ton of opinions. To take the flu shot or not? To take the baby out in the cold or not? Feed a cold and starve a fever?

What is your family’s best solution for winter wellness? Comment below and let me know.

Want more natural ideas to boost your immunity? Try this DIY Immune Booster roller ball or this Change of Season Throat Spray.

LaCroix Class Action Lawsuit: Should We Believe the Hype?

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LaCroix flavored water is a popular no calorie beverage that many wellness junkies prefer over sugary sodas. But LaCroix just got hit with a class action suit that has lots of wellness mavens questioning whether or not to drink it. So what are the allegations against the water company in the LaCroix class action lawsuit, and should you believe the hype? To drink or not to drink, that is the question.

Is your favorite drink a cockroach killer?

At the center of this lawsuit is how LaCroix flavors their beverages. They claim to use “all natural” ingredients, but the suit claims that the drinks contain several artificial ingredients.

There are two chemicals specifically listed. The first is linalool, sensationalized in the headlines as a common ingredient in insecticide. And the second is linalool propionate (aka linalyl propionate for all you who want easier chemistry research), a common food flavoring and perfume material.

So are they “Natural” or Not?

This question is at the core of the case, and it honestly is at the core of what drives so many readers of this blog. How do we decide what is truly natural and what is not?

It is true, both linalool and linalyl propionate are natural ingredients. Linalool is a chemical compound in a wide variety of plants including lavender, coriander, basil, petitgrain, and cilantro. Linalyl propionate is a constituent in ginger, lavender, and sage. Both compounds are very commonly found as additives in foods, beverages, and fragrances.

The lawsuit alleges that LaCroix may use synthetic sources of these natural ingredients and label the product as natural.

But, Can’t We Believe the Labels?

Many savvy consumers spend tons of time reading labels extensively. But the Food and Drug Administration does not have strict guidelines on the labeling of “natural” products. The agency has stated that they expect that products labeled as all natural have “nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives…) included in, or added to, a food that is not normally expected in that food.”

That last phrase “not normally expected to be in that food” leaves a lot up to interpretation when it comes to the addition of synthetics.

Let’s Talk Chemistry

From a chemical perspective, it is impossible to have isolated linalool or linalyl propionate without some kind of chemical manipulation. That is because neither compound occurs in isolation; they are always in a mixture. In fact, these two chemical constituents are very commonly found together.

This process is not synthesis (which is the production of new chemical entities using more simple molecules). Rather, it is fractionation (the separation of certain chemical constituents from a mixture of other chemical constituents).

LaCroix contends that the ingredients in their beverages come from plant essences, i.e. they are plant fractions. If this is true, then from a  chemistry point of view, they are not synthetics. If, on the other hand, they started from more simple molecules and built them up into linalool or linalyl propionate molecules, then they are considered synthetic versions.

I am unable to comment on which approach LaCroix takes as I am not privy to their proprietary processes.

In two separate documents,  the FDA recognizes both synthetic linalool and linalyl propionate as generally safe for human consumption.

Now the Real Question: Do You Care?

Given that the results are the same: you eventually get linalool and linalyl propionate, do you care if it comes from a plant fraction or from synthesized smaller molecules?

The fact of it is that plant chemicals, both from fractions and synthetics, are in hundreds if not thousands of foods, beverages, gums, soaps, personal care products, home care products, and yes, even cockroach killer.

If you answer a resounding “Yes, I refuse all synthetics and fractions!” Cool, just be very cautious to check the labels of any food or beverage that has been through any type of processing as they may contain synthetics plant fractions. Perhaps try making your own soda at home with purified water, essential oils, and fruit juices. 

If you choose to accept that there might be a synthetic version of a natural product in foods and beverages, then drink up.

What’s your choice? Comment below.

Want to Read More?

Come check out this blog post on how to make your own Ginger-Lime Mocktail!

Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

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Some people feel passionately that humans need meat to survive and thrive, where others feel equally as passionately against the notion. I contend that humans can live healthy, vibrant lives without consumption of animal products. Let’s take a look at some health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Decreased Body Weight

Studies show that a vegan or vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. In addition, evidence suggests that weight loss in vegetarians is not dependent on exercise. A vegan diet may actually encourage the body to burn more calories between meals. The body burns fewer calories with a meat based diet because food is more often stored as fat.

While many people believe that non-meat diets are deficient in nutrients, this analysis actually shows that plant-based diets are typically higher in fiber, vitamins A, C, E, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, calcium, magnesium, and iron. The study further suggests that vegetarian diets may be ideal for weight management. 

Decreased Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is an all-too-common condition. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.

Individuals consuming more phytochemical rich foods (plant-based foods) not only have significantly lower blood pressure, but they have a decreased risk of developing hypertension as well. 

Decreased Cholesterol

There is good evidence to suggest that animal products increase the risk of atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in the artery walls). Transitioning to a plant-based diet may reduce cholesterol as much as 35%.

Reduced Risk of Diabetes 

Recent estimates show that nearly 10% of Americans are affected by diabetes. Even more alarmingly, the number of cases of diabetes among children is on the rise. This disease results when blood sugar is consistently too high, most frequently due to insulin resistance. 

Although genes can play a role in the development of diabetes, lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, have a larger impact. A high-fat, low-fiber diet drastically inhibits the body’s ability to adequately process sugar. Consuming more fiber and nutrients found in a plant-based diet can protect against developing diabetes and may even be a viable means of treatment for diabetics.

Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The typical American diet contains large amounts of sugar, salt, cholesterol, and fat. This is a major contributing factor to the high incidence of coronary artery disease. 

A conscious, mindful effort to maximize health benefits per calorie while minimizing potential harmful exposures may provide the answer to this growing problem. A plant-based diet is by definition low in fat, cholesterol, salt, animal products, and sugar. As a result, a plant-based diet may lower the incidence of heart disease.

Reduced Risk of Cancer

Higher consumption of meat, especially red meat (eg, beef, pork, lamb) and processed meat (eg, bacon, hotdogs, lunch meat, chicken nuggets, jerky, and other salted or cured meats) is linked to a variety of cancers in a number of studies. Additionally, diets high in fat encourage the production of estrogens, which also contribute to the incidence of cancer.

Although there is not a lot of conclusive research involving plant-based diets and cancer risk, the evidence that does exist is compelling. Reducing meat consumption not only lowers the incidence of cancer, but it has also been used as a means of cancer treatment.

Reduced Risk of Kidney and Gallstones

Diets high in protein, especially animal protein, cause the body to excrete more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. These byproducts are the main components of urinary tract stones. A diet rich in plants and lower amounts of animal protein have been shown to reduce the incidence of  kidney stones and gallstones. 

What About Protein?

Some people worry about whether a vegetarian diet can provide enough protein. However, it is very easy to have a well-balanced diet with plant-based foods. A diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans provides adequate protein. Although there is somewhat less protein in a plant-based diet than a omnivorous diet, this is actually an advantage. Excess protein is a contributing cause of kidney stones, heart disease, osteoporosis, and some cancers.

How to Make the Switch to Plant-Based Eating

Even if you aren’t ready to eliminate all meat or animal products from your diet, there are still steps you can take. Simply decreasing your intake of animal products and working towards eating more plant foods is a huge step. Being more mindful and deliberate about eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will benefit your health in the long and short run.

You may consider removing meat from your diet intermittently or for a period of time. Cleansing on a regular basis can help renew your relationship with food. A plant-based cleanse may help to increase your self-awareness, mental clarity, and mindfulness selecting foods. 

Want to learn more about cleansing? Come join the Clean Slate Cleanse! We provide all the support, guidance, recipes, and other resources you need to take a positive step for your health and hit the reset button on your relationship with food.

Three Ways to Use Palo Santo

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Bursera graveolens, palo santo, or holy wood is a wild tree native to Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula to Peru and Venezuela. It is also found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and on the Galápagos Islands. Palo santo has been used in a wide variety of spiritual and religious practices for centuries, and there are so many ways to incorporate this oil into your daily routine. Let’s talk through three ways to use palo santo.

Smudging

Palo santo is an excellent alternative to sage for smudging practices. Smudging is the practice of burning plants to clear energy from environments. If you don’t want to burn wood in your home, try diffusing palo santo essential oil.

The aroma of palo santo essential oil is similar to frankincense and more earthy. Create a diffuser blend with 3 drops palo santo, 3 drops frankincense, and 3 drops geranium essential oil.

Meditation

The aroma of palo santo wood and essential oil is uplifting to the mind and spirit. Place a couple of drops of palo santo on the crown of the head before practicing yoga or meditation. Simply sit for 3-5 minutes in quiet and solitude, and recite a simple mantra in your head like “I am here,” “I am loved,” or “I am valued.”  Choose any mantra that you like for the process. There is no correct way to meditate. It is simply an act of doing it that matters.

Steam 

Boil a pot of water. Grab a towel. When water is boiling,  move to a large bowl. Add a few drops of palo santo. Throw the towel over the back of your head, and hang head over the large bowl of steaming water. Inhale for 5-10 minutes. If the timing is convenient, you can save the water for a bath, if not discard. 

When you inhale palo santo, there is a clarifying and focusing energy that comes over you. It supports the nervous system and calms the mind.

And no, I am not worried about the hot water affecting the quality or potency of the essential oil. It is merely helping the oil to evaporate more quickly. I do not recommend burning essential oils in burners because the residual oil left behind can be affected, but this quick inhalation technique has been used for centuries as a way to support the respiratory system and clear the mind.

Want more?

Confused about essential oils that you have never used before? teaches how to blend essential oils to create the perfect DIYs and diffuser blends.

This blog post covers another oil that seems like a mystery: Manuka.